Young Lakes

Dogs No Dogs

Features Lake · Views · Wildflowers

There are no services or restrooms along this trail. The nearest facilities are in Tuolumne Meadows either at the visitor center or the Lembert Dome parking area.

To access Young Lakes, you can take one of two trails from Tuolumne Meadows to access this trail. You can either run up around Lembert Dome and then break off to the left before getting to Dog Lake and then enjoy a nice run through the woods before getting spectacular views of the Cathedral Range as you approach Ragged Peak. Or you can run out toward Glen Aulin and then climb uphill through a pine forest to the trailhead. Once you reach the trail, you meanders around the edge of ragged peak.

There is a small creek that you can rock hop before the trail climbs uphill. The trail works its way around Ragged Peak and there are some stunning views of the peak as you make your way toward the lake. The trail crosses a sand bar and then drops down to the lower lake and you can start to get a glimpse of the lake. The lake lies in a basin with granite cliffs surrounding the lake, with Ragged Peak sitting on the end. From here, you can explore the shore-line and there are several campsites 100 yards back from the shoreline on the western side of the lake that are great for camping.

To the left, there is an outlet with a great view of Ragged Peak, a great place to rest and enjoy the view. Common use trails lead up to the upper lakes, which are less crowded and offer good fishing opportunities. From here, you retrace your steps to the trail junction. You can either run this as an out and back or as a loop, depending on what you want to do. It is roughly the same distance either way you go.